Signal flag



M. MIHALISIN Nov. 16, 1965 SIGNAL FLAG Filed June 16, 1964 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 3,2l7,9 Patented Nov. 16, 1955 ice 3,217,690 SllGNAL FLAG Michael Mihalisin, Middlefield, Ohio, assignor to Mercury Plastics, Inc Middlefleld, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 16, I964, Ser. No. 375,535 4 Claims. (Cl. 116-173) This invention rel-ates to signal flags and to a method of making such flags which are of the type generally used at sporting events, at construction sites to give warning of hazards to vehicles, and for attachment to vehicles carrying unusual loads.

The device of the present invention comprises a tubular staff having a longitudinal seam formed by the interlocking of one longitudinal edge portion with another. The interlocking of the edge portions is provided for by means of a longitudinal key formed in one of such edge portions and a longitudinal groove formed in the other edge portion, said key and groove being mutually opposed, complementary and capable of interlocking. The configuration of the key and groove is such that when they key is forced into the groove, the edge portions in which said key and groove are formed are locked together to form the seam.

The marginal portion at one edge of a flexible sheet is clamped between the interlocking key and groove thus providing a flag having a tubular staff with a banner tightly clamped therein.

In the method of making the device of the present invention, the staff stock is extruded from plastic material using extrusion techniques well known in the art to form a length of essentially continuous tubular stock having a longitudinal opening formed therein. A section suitable for a staff is cut from the length of stock, preferably of greater length than the banner portion in order to provide a suitable hand grip. The maginal portion of a banner which is normally cut from flexible plastic or cloth sheet material is then placed in the longitudinal opening, and the interlocking edge portions of the staff are squeezed together to interlock the key and groove with the marginal portion of the banner clamped therein. This provides a convenient signal flag of simple low-cost construction suitable for a great variety of uses.

Conventional signal flags or" the type used by road construction crews for giving warning of driving hazards ahead and by officials at sporting events for starting and finishing races are generally formed of plastic or textile fabric rectangles tacked or stapled to a cylindrical wooden staff. Such flags are generally a low priced item and must be made in large volume in order to be commercially profitable. The invention provides a novel signal flag structure which is light weight and sturdy and which can be easily and economically produced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of making signal flags in large volume from plastic materials Which may be easily extruded and sheeted.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a signal flag of sturdy low-cost construction which may be made with a minimum of manufacturing operations.

Other objects, uses and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a signal flag embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation showing the tubular staff of the signal flag before the staff is assembled with the banner.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention formed of plastic materials and generally comprising a staff 1 and a banner 2. The staff is formed of extruded plastic material and is of a generally tubular form with a thickened wall portion 3 extending longitudinally along one side, as best shown in FIGURE 2.

The thickened wall portion 3 has a longitudinal seam extending throughout the length thereof and formed by two edge portions 4 and 5. A longitudinal key 6 is formed in the edge portion 4 of the staff 1 along the longitudinal seam. The key 6 is somewhat bulbar in cross-section so that its maximum transverse width is somewhat greater than the transverse width at its neck '7. A longitudinal groove 8 is formed in the edge portion 5 of the staff 1 along the longitudinal seam complementary and mutually opposed to the key and adapted to receive the key 6 in an interlocking association whereby the edge portions 4 and 5 are locked together forming the seam. The opening of the groove 8 is of less transverse width than the maximum transverse width of the groove as best shown in FIGURE 2, to provide for its interlocking with the key 6. The portion of the tubular wall of the staff 1 adjacent the groove 8 are sufficiently resilient to permit the key 6 to be forced through the opening of the groove 8. Other designs for an interlocking key and groove may, of course, be used if desired.

The banner 2 has a marginal portion which is tightly clamped between the interlocking key 6 and groove 8 of edge portions 4 and 5 for mounting the banner to the staff. The increased thickness of the tubular wall of the staff -1 at the seam strengthens the interlock of the key 6 and groove 8 and provides for a more effective clamping of the banner 2. However, the tubular wall of the staff stock may be of uniform thickness, if desired.

FIGURE 3 shows the staff prior to the positioning of the marginal portion of the banner 2 and clamping together of the interlocking key 6 and groove 8 of edge portions 4 and 5. The staff is normally extruded in this form, using extrusion techniques of the type well known in the art. Sufficient space is left in the slit 9 between the two edge portions 4 and 5 to facilitate insertion of the marginal portion of the banner. The wall portion of the staff 1 located away from the thickened portion 3 is sufficient-ly thin to provide flexibility so that an assembler may easily press the two edge portions together and interlock the key 6 and groove 8. While the resiliency of the plastic material will tend to separate the interlocking edge portions, the locking is sufficient to prevent such separation. Other methods of interlocking the edge portions and clamping the marginal portion of the banner therebetween may, of course, be used if desired.

In the method of making signal flags of the present invention, a suitable plastic material is extruded through an extrusion die to form a tubular length of stock having a cross-section as shown in FIGURE 3. This length of stock is then cut into suitable segments to form staffs for the flaps. The banner 2 is formed by cutting desired flexible sheet material, generally a bright colored plastic, to a suitable shape, normally rectangular, for attachment to the stafi. One marginal portion of the banner is placed in the slit 9 and the staff 1 is squeezed to 055: the key 6 into the groove 8 to lock the edge portions together with the marginal portion of the bannet 2 tigthly clamped therebetween.

It will be understood that the above description is by way of illustration rather than limitation and that, in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, variations and modifications of the specific methods,

compositions and articles described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A signal flag comprising a flexible sheet having a substantially straight marginal portion and a tubular stait having a longitudinal seam formed by two longitudinal edge portions which are mutually opposed, complementary and interlocking, said marginal portion of said sheet being clamped between said edge portions in interlocked association.

2. A signal flap comprising a flexible sheet having a substantially straight marginal portion and a tubular stafi having a substantially straight marginal portion and a tubular staif having a longitudinal seam formed therein by two longitudinal end portions, one of said edge portions having formed thereon a longitudinal key, the other of said edge portions having formed therein a longitudinal groove, said key and groove being mutually opposed, complementary and interlocking, said marginal portion of said flag being clamped between said key and groove in interlocked association.

3. A signal flag comprising a flexible sheet having a substantially straight marginal portion and a tubular stafi having a longitudinal seam formed by two longitudinal edge portions, one of said edge portions having formed thereon a longitudinal key, the other of said edge portions having formed therein a longitudinal groove, said key and groove being mutually o posed, complementary and interlocking, said key having a cross-sectional neck portion of less transverse width than the maximum transverse width thereof and said groove having a crosssectional opening of less transverse width than the maximum transverse width thereof, said marginal portion of said sheet being clamped between said key and groove in interlocked association.

4. A signal flag comprising a flexible sheet having a substantially straight marginal portion and a tubular staff having a thickened longitudinal wall portion, said wall portion having a longitudinal seam formed by two longitudinal edge portions, one of said edge portions having formed thereon a longitudinal key, the other of said edge portions having formed therein a longitudinal groove, said key and groove being mutually opposed, complementary and interlocking, said key having a cross-sectional neck portion of less transverse width than the maximum transverse width thereof and said groove having a crosssectional opening of less transverse width than the maximum transverse width thereof, said marginal portion of said flexible sheet being clamped between said key and groove in interlocked association.

References Cited by the Examiner UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 465,568 12/1891 Straube et al. 129-37 644,114 2/ 1900 Venen 392 952,045 3/1910 Moore 116--173 1,018,272 2/1912 Ross 160395 1,317,445 9/ 1919 Hoffman 24-243.12 1,343,140 6/1920 Keeley 116173 LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,217,690 November 16, 1965 Michael Mihalisin in the above numbered pat It is hereby certified that error appears nt should read as ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Pate corrected below.

Column 3, lines 13 and 14, straight marginal portion and a tubular sta line 15, for "end" read edge 20th day of September 1966.

strike out "substantially ff having a";

Signed and sealed this (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. A SIGNAL FLAG COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE SHEET HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT MARGINAL PORTION AND A TUBULAR STAFF HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SEAM FORMED BY TWO LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTIONS WHICH ARE MUTUALLY OPPOSED, COMPLEMENTARY AND INTERLOCKING, SAID MARGINAL PORTION OF SAID SHEET BEING CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID EDGE PORTIONS IN INTERLOCKED ASSOCIATION. 